The Office
by nurseholliday
Summary: Repost/AU: Neurotic CEO Caroline Forbes had had enough on men. Until Klaus Mikaelson, employee and advertising extraordinaire, waltzes in her office and makes her realize finding Mr. Right can come from something that it is very very wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**The Office: Chapter One**

 **A/N: I dedicate this repost to Gooddame. I know it's been a long time coming, and I thank you for everyone who's stuck with me, commiserated with me and messaged me on tumblr and here in order to get me to repost. If you'd like to follow me on tumblr you can find me at nurseholliday. ILY**

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"Once news gets out our stock price is going to drop dramatically." Caroline Forbes's brow scrunched as she scribbled down the information onto the starch yellow paper of the sticky pads on her desk. Her mind raced as she internally calculated the dollars to percentage ratio that her CFO was currently waxing poetically about. Her fingers pressed down hard as she made a rough down arrow next to her lilting script. "Losing the Westbrook account hit us a lot harder than we expected."

"Do you have any projections drawn up?" She asked capping her pen as she leaned back in her chair. The pen, poised against the thumb and middle finger of her right hand tapped idly against the polished wood of her desk.

"We do, I've gone ahead and added a cause and effect analysis onto it as well. I'm just about to finish up the last little bit." The man's nasally voice filtered through the receiver.

"Why don't you send me an email with what you have and I'll take a look?" She said. "We'll schedule a meeting for early next week to discuss how we plan to recover next quarter. Pass the news along that we're going to crowd-source ways to reduce both short term and long term costs."

"I'll have it to you by the end of day." Caroline's eyes flew to the corner of her desktop searching for the time. White numbers stared back at her, mocking the fact that though end of day was 5:00, it wouldn't be the end of hers.

"I'll expect it within the next fifteen minutes then, Mr. Saltzman."

She didn't bother with a farewell, simply moved the receiver from its place by her ear and dropped it in its cradle. A sigh escaped her and she scrubbed at her forehead furiously. With the addition of her head of finances cost concerns, that made seven portfolios she'd have to pore over, revise, reject or approve by Monday.

It was going to be a long weekend to say the least.

She turned towards the massive expanse of her glass wall taking in the skyline glinting brightly in the afternoon sun. With a calming inhalation she did her best to settle her racing mind. She knew this sight.

Over the years the landscape had changed, buildings and business had disappeared, new endeavors erected in their place; a glorious parallel to the cutthroat fickleness of the corporate world. Standing here overlooking Eleventh Street, she could easily close her eyes and give a detailed description of what lay before her. If she leaned to the right and squinted her eyes just so she could just barely catch a glimpse of the very tip of the Washington monument. When the sun was setting on the other side of the building the sky turned one of the most violently beautiful shades of blood orange. Her first memory was in this very office. She could still picture it, being a giggling child of five hiding behind her father's massive desk as he chatted on the phone to this person or that.

Twenty one years had changed many things, but Forbes LLC. persevered.

Her father had started his business in their tiny garage in Mystic Falls. There he had put his blood and sweat into cultivating something out of the nothing they had. What was once a mom and pop consulting firm quickly turned into one of the most influential corporations in Washington DC.

Forbes LLC. had their hands in a variety of things; from advertising powerhouses to portfolio management each of the 137 employees working for the company were invaluable, and Caroline would know.

When she was thirteen she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was meant to follow in her father's footsteps. She had told her mother one day after cheerleading practices that she was going to be the next CEO of Forbes LLC. Her mother had laughed, patted her on her head and then moved along to start dinner, chalking up her daughters protestations as the fancies of youth. It was her father that had looked at her with that twinkle in his eye and asked her if she were serious.

"I can do it." Her young voice echoed across the tile of their kitchen.

"I know you can. It will take a great deal of work Caroline. But if you work hard enough you can accomplish anything you set your mind too." She had taken those words to heart.

The next summer when the final school bell clanged and the halls emptied, things were different. While most kids her age were sneaking out and spending their free days escaping the Virginian sun near a body of water, Caroline was working 7:00-3:30 sorting mail. The reception desk came next, then being an office assistant for every department Forbes LLC. housed. By the time Caroline finished her Bachelor's degree she knew every office of Westbrook like the back of her own hand. Without blinking an eye she could recite the revenue index for the past five years and memorized what the sales pipeline looked for the next two. She interned directly for her father after that until she graduated from Princeton with her MBA. A year later, and 12 years working in every department she had been named acting CEO.

She'd been called a multitude of names over the years. Some good, some bad; driven, crazy, talented, bossy, obsessive, a workaholic, and neurotic to name a few. But without a doubt, until today she had never before been called boring.

"Two more showed up." The disinterested tone of her executive assistant slammed her back to the present. She turned back from the sprawling cityscape to gaze at the beautiful brunette standing before her in skyscraper heels.

"Thank you." She reached out grabbing the two folders and placing them on the ever growing stack on her desk.

"That looks like a drag. You should run out of here and find something entertaining to do with your boy toy this weekend."

A sting of pain shot through her at her friends words, the statement bringing full force in her mind exactly what had occupied her mind just before. "We're not really seeing each other anymore."

"No?" The dark haired woman plopped down expectantly in the chair across the desk from her. "Good I never liked the guy in the first place."

Caroline couldn't resist the snort that escaped her. "Good to know."

"I hope he wept when you dumped his sorry ass." Katherine, or to the few people she deemed close enough to call her friend, Kat, said impishly beginning to examine her fingernails, her painted mouth pulled up into a smirk.

"Actually, he kind of broke up with me…" Caroline trailed off, averting her gaze. She knew that if her eyes were too meet with the intuitive woman across from hers she'd instantly recognize the hurt within their depths. Sure Tyler had been a bit of a tool, and sure she wasn't all that sure she really liked him all that much. Regardless of the reasoning behind the split, it was a huge haymaker to her confidence.

"Kind of?" Kat's voice was hard, skeptical.

Caroline had met Katherine at Princeton. They had been both pulling an all-nighter studying for an economic midterm when an over entitled frat guy got a little mouthy. One minute she was ignoring the asshole hoping he'd get the picture and walk away, the next she was staring at a petite brunette making a man twice her size cower with the force of her words. They had been friends ever since. Kat wasn't only just a spitfire, she was shrewd, highly intelligent, a brilliant businesswoman, a fiercely loyal friend, and more often than not the rock anchoring her sanity.

"Do you want me to kill him?" She said earnestly.

Caroline laughed, wiping a hand over her face. "In those shoes? Hell no. He isn't worth it."

"Damn right he's not. He still wears Polo's in public. You could do way better."  
It took a great deal of effort for her not to react to that sentiment. Instead she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath trying to buoy her mood. After almost every boyfriend there was the same answering chorus of reassurances from her friends and family. You can do better, he is obviously intimidated by your success Caroline, there has to be something wrong with him. If it was only one, she could understand the reasoning behind their logic; but as the number began to climb it became apparent that it might have something to do with the only common factor in all of her relationships. Her.

"What exactly did he say?"

"He was rambling for a bit but the gist of it was that I'm too boring for his taste." Kat scoffed as if it was a personal remark to her own character.

"Apparently he's never seen you at spring break." An answering laugh bubbled from her lips and a fission of tension eased itself from the concrete set of her shoulders.

"Shut up."

"I'm serious. Sounds like a cop out to me. I knew he was going to be a sleaze ball, I could tell by the way he gelled his hair."

A picture of her boyfriend, well, her ex-boyfriend now surfaced in her mind. She crinkled her nose at the memory of his gel soaked locks painstakingingly spiked up. "It was pretty bad."

"It was awful!"

"Half the time it took him longer to get ready than I did."

"Exactly." Kat said, playing the dutiful best friend. "But that body though…"

Tyler was built like a god, and he knew it too. He worked out religiously. Every morning at six am he was in the gym like clockwork. He never took a day off and it showed, there was no way to describe the way he looked without his clothes on. When Caroline had met him there had been an instant attraction, how could there not be? And admittedly she didn't wait as long as she should have to make sure that she really liked him and not the fact that he could put an Abercrombie and Fitch model to shame. She swore that the first time he took off his shirt that there were angels sobbing somewhere. He had it all, a great job, a killer car, a body that could make her salivate – there had been just one little problem. "Too bad he didn't know what to do with it." Sarcasm dripped like venom from her tongue.

"Right? It's a national tragedy." Caroline nodded her head in agreement.

Nothing could explain the disappointment she felt when a man that got her halfway to an orgasm just by looking at her, couldn't figure out how to get to her to home. Needless to say, she was left unsatisfied. Every. Single. Time.

"Maybe I should interview the next one?" Katherine offered. A barking laugh escaped Caroline as she thumbed through the folders on her desk.

"I'm sure that won't be awkward at all."

Kat reached forward snagging the nail file from the pen cup perched on the corner of her desk. "I'll start working on it Monday. Question one: Do you go down?"

Her brow furrowed as she took count of the work she needed to do that evening. Her eyes flew once again to the clock to see that is was already 5:20. Kat continued to wax poetically. "Number 2: How big is your dick?"

There wasn't enough portfolio's on her desk.

"Number 3: How do you feel about spanking?" Caroline broke in across her.

"Are you sure this all of them?"

Kat stopped filing momentarily, crinkling her brows as she looked at Caroline, then the files. "Uhhh, yeah. That was everything that was delivered. "

She thumbed through them once more; Sales, reorganization schematics, inventory audit results, defense mobile contract, Alaric Saltzman was emailing his… Her mind internally checked off as she cataloged each project until one was left glaring at her in her mind's eye.

"Which one are you missing?" Kat said curiously, resuming sawing her fingernails to points.

"The Annaehauser-Busch campaign." Her mind raced trying to pin point the specific details. Tight blonde curly hair, blue eyes, combined with the distant echo of an unmistakable British accent instantly cropped up in her mind. "That's Mikaelson right?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Huh." Was Caroline's only response. The Annaehauser-Busch campaign was worth a ridiculous amount of money, and it wasn't a client she wanted to take a risk making unhappy by delivering late presentations. With the loss of the Westbrook account they couldn't afford any other significant hits or they'd be reporting losses for next quarter as well. She was going to have to call a meeting on Monday to figure out what the hell was going on downstairs and if she'd have to have a one on one conversation with Mikaelson regarding his output.

"So are you going to let me take you out and get you shitfaced now that you're newly single?"

She eyed the folders on her desk, if she did them tonight they'd be finished and she could attempt to have some semblance of a weekend. Her dirty laundry pile was starting to get seriously out of control as it was, and if she didn't tackle it soon it was going to be become an epidemic. Then again, getting drunk certainly sounded appealing. Katherine must have read the struggle waging a war across her face.

"Fine. Don't stay here too late and if you need me for anything, call me."

Caroline gave her an apologetic smile. "Raincheck? Tomorrow?"

"I'm going to hold you to that. And if you stand me up I swear to god I will lock you out of this building."

Caroline held her hands up in defeat but couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Cross my heart and hope to die." She made a show of crossing her fingers and making an X across her chest to signify her promise.

Kat stood throwing her a stern glance she reserved for making interns cry.

"Night, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Talk to you tomorrow." She said before waving her goodbye and watching her friend walk out the door. Taking a steadying breath she flipped open the sales forecast. It was going to be a long night, she better settle in.

* * *

It had happened once or twice while working at Forbes LLC. that he wasn't able to meet his bosses' impossibly stringent deadlines.

Well, to give himself credit, this time he almost met it.

Just four or five hours on a Friday later than he had anticipated. The Virginian sun had long ago sunk behind the mirrored shining surfaces of the other office buildings and said goodbye to the occupants of the building who had left promptly at five o'clock, eager to get their weekend started. But no, not Niklaus Mikaelson. He had spent the last four days pouring every waking moment of his time into the new advertising campaign, hoping beyond hope that the CEO would like them. This time. Seven years of combined art and business school, and for what? For a project that he didn't even like the first time around to get scrapped. Reworking wasn't the problem. It was the principle of the matter. Klaus was good at his job, damn good.

The thick leather portfolio felt heavy in his hand as he pressed his finger against the round 'up' button on the elevators bank. The arrow glowed as the tell-tale cranking and whirring of the car's arrival signaled and a faint ping echoed around the empty offices as the door parted. Light poured into the dark room and he took an easy step inside, letting the glow swallow him. His long index finger quickly pushed the highest button on the panel. Top floor. The executive offices.

Forbes LLC. had several different departments, but Klaus had been drawn to advertising since he had been in secondary school. It was the artist in him. Bill Forbes had started the company when he was Klaus's age, and watched it grow to the elite of the professional world. It was the kismet of a person's career to work for Forbes, and without a doubt Klaus relished his role within the company. It had not come easy.

The car rushed up the shaft, the faint tinkling of soft jazz tickled his ears as it ascended to the top floor. With a smooth stop, the doors pinged open and he stepped out into the muted darkness of the executive floor. He barely thought as he walked purposefully through the desks towards the sprawling back office. There was no particular reason to.

It was simple. Drop off the folder, get out of this infernal suit, and hit the Local for a pint or two. That was the plan.

But as he pushed the heavy wooden doors emblazoned with Forbes in metallic golden letters, his plans took a nosedive. Scratch that, he'd have to keep the suit on. The likelihood that he'd be job hunting come tomorrow was pretty high.  
Sitting behind the imposingly magnificent desk, in the dark of her office was none other than the CEO herself, Ms. Caroline Forbes.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Office: Chapter Two**

 **A/N: First of all, I just want to let you guys know that I am overwhelmed by the response I've gotten. I promised myself yesterday (secretly), that if I were to get ten reviews I would go ahead and post the next chapter immediately, if not, I'd wait a week and post a new chapter next Tuesday. You guys have given me so much love I couldn't hold out. Thank you so much. You guys are everything and I just want to hug each and everyone of you.**

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His first thought, was that he was dead.

His second thought, was that he was fired.

His third thought, or observation as it was, was that Ms. Forbes had definitely been crying. He froze one hand pushing the door into darkness as their eyes locked and she hastily wiped at her eyes with the back of her hands.

She sniffed a little as she continued to wipe at her face making a show of moving the immaculately stacked papers on her desk a little. Her eyes caught the portfolio gripped tightly in his hand. "The presentation was due at the End of Day Mr. Mikaelson."

His brain was frozen as to what to say, without asking permission the words tumbled clumsily from his lips. "Technically this is the end of my day." Their eyes caught and he had to stop himself from thumping his own face. What the bloody hell was he thinking? A beat passed, and then another, until finally a small smile tilted at her lips and she motioned for him.

"Very well." Niklaus was gob smacked as he sauntered forward, handing the presentation to his superior and watching as she opened it lightly. She perused it meticulously, making Klaus uncomfortable in his awkwardness. Should he leave? Should he wait and get her opinion on the new material first?

As his brain lost track of itself his eyes scanned the woman's face. She was young, she was so young. That was the very thing that he had thought the first time he had met Caroline Forbes as she sat across from him in that very desk and interviewed him for his position. And gorgeous, from the minute he had met her he had found her strikingly beautiful. It wasn't an exotic beauty like Elena at the front reception counter, but it was something within her. An inner strength that coupled with the cupid's bow of her lips and the soft roundness of her face made an intoxicating picture to behold. Even now in the darkness of her office her golden curls looked like it had been kissed by the sun. Her cornflower blue irises were fringed by dark lashes, searching the documentation before her with calculated thoroughness. Her body, well, he could only imagine the fit little piece beneath her professional pant suits and torturous sheath dresses. At face value she looked as good as she managed, but it was something else about her that had caught Klaus's attention the very first time that they had met. It was the light. Everything about her, her work ethic, her gift for management, her talent in predicting market trends, her fanatical eye for the smallest details, they knit together into a perfectly imperfect knot that resided inside of her and made her come to life in the most beautiful way he had ever seen.

From the moment he had first laid eyes on her he had thought about her as simply Caroline. Though he had ever once spoken her name out loud.

So he had a bit of fancy for his boss.

So he had a bit of a proper fancy for his boss.

The only thing that he did more than fancy her, was respect her. He may have fantasized about the millions of things he'd do to her given the opportunity, but he would never consider acting upon it.

"This is very good." He was ripped face first from his musing by her melodic voice. He shook himself for a moment as he let his mind catch up with what was going on. "I'll push this through to production."

He gave her a small smile. "Thank you." He said quietly. Her eyes were still red from her tears; He made a move towards the door.

"Can I ask you something?" He stopped dead, his eyes flitting over her face. She looked conflicted, as if she were torn on whether to continue or not. "Do I look fun to you?" He blinked. Once, twice. After another beat of silence passed she quickly recovered. "I'm sorry that was entirely inappropriate…" His heart was beating wildly in his chest as she disassembled.

"I think you look like a great deal of fun." She stopped her eyes fixed on his. Her blue eyes were wide; she looked innocent and vulnerable so unlike the strong independent woman he worked with every day. "If you'd like someone to talk too, I don't have any plans this evening."

She considered for a moment before dipping her head to the side as if to say 'what the hell'. "Would you mind pouring me a drink?"

* * *

He nodded moving silently to the vintage cart filled with mismatched crystal decanters; the eclectic whimsy of it contrasting so violently against the cool sleek modern design of the rest of the room. Her father tended to gravitate to modern design, and even though she'd occupied the office for nearly two years now, the tray was the only thing she could bring herself to change. She watched as he grabbed two of the heavy tumblers pouring two fingers easily into them and moving to sit across from her sliding the glass across the cool surface. Her dainty hand accepted it graciously, her body melting into her oversized chair like a small child stealing her father's recliner. In a way, she was.

His mouth tugged into a small smirk as he sat across from her. "I take it you've had a bit of a trying day." He said, his lilting accent washing over her, stroking like a finger down her spine. She didn't think there was a woman alive that could resist a voice like that. It was entirely unfair the things that it was doing to her, that combined with the picture of him sitting across from her. Klaus Mikaelson was attractive. Not in the all American clean cut poster boy way that Tyler had been, but in a way that made you wonder just what he could do to you if you gave him the chance. Though he looked absolutely sinful in his pressed suit, she could imagine him wearing a leather jacket and a Henley sitting astride a motorcycle asking if he could take her on a ride, hopefully more than just one.

The kind of sexy that screamed dangerous. Caroline had always stayed far away from danger.

Don't even get her started on the dimples.

Klaus had worked for Forbes LLC. for almost as long as she'd been CEO. On paper he was the perfect addition to their advertising department; he was young, accomplished, with references that most people had to fake to get. She had intended to hire him before he even walked through the front doors, and when he walked into her office with that accent and those blue eyes it wasn't a hardship to add him to the payroll. He was one of those men that had an undeniable sex appeal that was more than just good looks. It was the way he carried himself, the power and confidence that oozed off of him in visible waves.

Like, the way he was looking at her right now, as if he knew exactly what he was doing to her, and he liked it. So here she was, sitting across from a man that she would never in a thousand years think she would, and she was going to tell him exactly what was weighing heavily on her mind.

"I have been dumped." She said tartly. She had surprised him, she could tell by the way his eye brows shot up practically into his mussed sandy curls.

He was probably terrified that she went from zero to I-just-got-broken-up-with.

Great Caroline, here comes another runner. She stood hotly, walking over the cart and grabbing a full decanter, bringing it with her to her desk.

"Apparently. I work all the time, which makes me no fun. I will have you know I am plenty of fun." She filled her glass again with another splash of brandy.

"You know that is meant to be sipped don't you?" She shot him a glare that if looks could kill, he'd probably by in hell by now. As she wasn't aware of how much the bottle she just sent clattering across her desk cost, as if this wasn't her office and she didn't just confess to him why she'd been tossed to the side like a sack of garbage. She gave him a contrary look, before slamming the contents back. She let the tumbler fall from her fingertips and rattle onto the wood.  
He gave her a playful smile. "Well you showed me."

"Is that all you have to say?" She said crossly, irritation pricking at her at his words.

"Is there something you would like me to say?"

"You're infuriating." He was. He had to be the most infuriating man in the entire universe. He was teasing

And after the day she'd had she was in no mood to be teased.

"I've been told that before actually." She harrumphed, splashing some more brandy into her glass and falling back into her chair. "In regards to your problem with your ex, I'd say he'd have to be the stupidest bloke currently walking the planet."

Warmth washed over her at his words, just like that she folded, her eyelashes blinking to steady her wits. Charming son of a bitch. "He's not though. He's a lawyer." She was looking away from him, and for some reason, that was easier then looking him right in the eyes.

"There are plenty of people capable of gaining advanced degrees without knowing a single thing worth knowing." She let an unladylike snort escape her and she cringed inwardly in mortification. If Klaus seemed to care he didn't give any indication, instead he moved a little closer to her in his chair. "I think you're better off. He's obviously a wanker and you could do much better."

"I've heard this speech from Katherine. I am fun. Just because I work a lot doesn't make me not fun. That makes me an intelligent professional. Whether or not I inherited this position from my father, you know how many female CEO's of multi-billion dollar companies that are younger than I am? None. I work my ass off, and I do it because I love my job. I know how to have fun, but you have to work hard to play hard and I'm not going to take off a week to go to Cabo and parade my ass around in a bathing suit for some chauvinist who thinks his woman she be barefoot, pregnant, and in a kitchen."

Her chest heaved as she finished her rant, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes blazing. She probably looked a freaking lunatic right now.

"You are preaching to the choir here love."

'I'm sorry I'm ranting."

"It's fine. I don't mind."

He was lying, or he was trying to suck up because he knew that he was late on a deadline and she could have his ass for it. "You probably have a million different things that you'd rather be doing tonight." She said laughing softly.

"In all honesty I can't think of a single one." Her heart thumped hard in her chest. He looked so sincere, so absolutely honest that it hurt to look at him. It was a strange feeling, more than strange. She tried to calm her frazzled nerves by reaching out and taking another sip of her brandy. She was overreacting, her emotions were already wound tight and Niklaus was obviously very attractive. She maneuvered the conversation forward.

"Tell me something about yourself Mikaelson?" He shifted a little in his seat.

"What do you want to know?"

She smiled. "I don't know. You're the director of Advertising and I just realized I know nothing about you." She blew a piece of hair out of her face and rested her hand against her cheek.

"There isn't much to tell. I'm from England…"

Her lips twitched sassily. "Really I would never have guessed."

He gave her a mock stern glare, his brows lowered, his eyes dancing. A jolt rocketed straight between her legs. Hello there. "Are you done?" She motioned for him to continue, falling back into her chair. "I have four brothers and a sister who drive me absolutely mental. I went to Cambridge got my masters from NYU. Did an internship at EMT, then I've been here."

"I feel like we're in an interview. How very resume of you. Anything else you'd like to share?"

"Not really."

She swirled the amber liquid in her glass. "So that's it then?" He made a noncommittal shrug mirroring her posture before slumping backwards in the same posh armchair that Katherine had been occupying earlier, he wasn't giving anything away. It made her curious in a way she had no right to be. There had to be something out there that they could discuss other than work. Even though she readily admitted that more often or not she let work get in the way of her life tonight she didn't want it to be like that. Tonight she was going to be the other Caroline, the Caroline who liked to gossip and laugh and flirt with ridiculously attractive men whether they worked for her or not. "So what do you want to talk about?"

It didn't even take him a moment to respond. "I want to talk about you?"

"WOW." A laugh burst from her at his words, he started to chuckle lightly along with her. "Bold move trying to seduce your boss."

He moved the cool glass to his lips giving her a wide innocent look. "Who said I was trying?"

Yeah, Right. Did he think she was new? "Just for the record, I'm entirely too smart to be seduced by anyone, let alone you." She said with all of the conviction that she possessed.

"Well, why do you think that I like you."

She was pretty sure her lungs stopped working. Hi body, if you could do your job that would be great… Her cheeks probably looked like they were on fire she blushing so badly. After that things changed, the teasing banter had dislodged the awkwardness between them and they began to talk.

"So what do you do when you aren't turning in late portfolios?"

He gave her a sheepish grin lifting his glass to his lips. "I paint."

"Really?" Gorgeous, an artist, British, this man was like kryptonite to women.

"I double majored at Cambridge. I dreamed of being an artist but I wasn't naïve enough to believe that I'd ever be able to make a living from it. I did just receive a mint commission from a gallery on 9th."

"And what kind do you paint?" Genuine curiosity galloped within her.

He leaned forward, reaching across the table. For a moment she thought that he was reaching for her, heat rushed through her at the thought of him taking her in his arms, lowering his lips to her own threading her fingers into those curls; but as his long hands wrapped lightly around the decanter lying between them she found herself sorely disappointed.

"A little of everything really. It depends on my mood, the time of day, my muse." A laviscious thought snapped itself with a crack in the back of her mind, I could be your muse.

The conversation didn't stop there. Art turned into poetry, which then turned into film. Klaus was both cultured and intelligent. Candid passion rang true with everything they discussed. They talked for what seemed like hours, days even. They talked about everything and nothing. The brandy flowed freely, as they moved from trivial interests to real life experiences. Caroline's childhood, then Klaus's. Her spring break vacation when she FINALLY turned 21 that Katherine would never let her live down. They broached past relationships they had had, places they'd been, places they wished to see. Sex had been come up once and she was certain that he was about to throw himself out of the window he looked so adorably awkward. Caroline was surprised to find how nice of a time she was having with Klaus, she could easily find herself maintaining a friendship with him after tonight. The fact that there was also a part of her that wished she could ride him until she couldn't see straight had hardly anything to do with it.

Her phone lit up, drawing her attention away from the intoxicating man before her. Horror washed over her as she realized the time. "Oh my god it's four thirty in the morning!" Was it? God she had kept him here all night? She threaded through hands in her hair, brandy fraying the edges of her vision. She hadn't had a buzz in a month or two, and she was sitting pretty right in the cusp of being hammered. Her body hummed as his eyes followed her own to the illuminated screen. 'I'm so sorry for keeping you here so late."

"It was no bother." He said softly, pressing his hands onto the arms of the chairs and pushing himself to stand. "I suppose I'll be on my way."

She nodded. A little smile on her face as she stood with him. "Thank you." She said earnestly.

"It was my pleasure I assure you Ms. Forbes."

Regardless of her attraction to him, she really had needed someone to talk too tonight. Klaus had appeared out of nowhere, a proverbial knight and shining armor. Without even blinking he had managed to make her forget that she had had a miserable day, he had made her smile, made her joke, and made her laugh more than she had in a long time. She only hoped that he understood just how sincere she was, when she thanked him. "I think you can stand to call me Caroline, at least outside of work hours."

"Caroline." The blood rushed to her head as her name dripped like honey from his lips, the beautiful man standing before her with the hypnotic voice saying her name in that husky whisper was the most erotic thing she'd ever heard. It sounded like a song as he caressed every single syllable. Desire gripped hold of her tightly and she had to stop herself from moving forward and plastering her body to his.

"Klaus." She replied in turn, her voice low, her stomach coiled tight. He stalled only a moment almost as if he were searching for something to say. He licked his lips; Caroline's focus was drawn then fixated upon the plump flesh of his lower lip. Kiss me, her body begged. Her eyes rose to lock upon his once more, she willed him to take the step forward. To ignite the embers that were currently threatening to combust inside of her. He blinked, giving her a departing nod before gripping the handle of the door and let it fall closed behind him. She took a shaky breath, her legs quivering as she fought with her arousal. You don't mess around with your coworkers, especially if they are your employees.

That was the first thing they teach in business school. She knew that better than anyone, but as desire pulsed through her she couldn't think about anything other than what it would feel like to press her naked body against his. Maybe, just this once, she could toss that all away. He wanted her that she knew. The look in his eyes as his gaze strayed down her body when she bid him goodbye said more than he probably would have liked. He wanted her and the hell if she didn't want him back. Bad.

She toed off her shoes, grabbing the handle of her door and yanking it open.

"Klaus?" He had already made it to the elevators; he turned a delectable look of surprise etched on his face as he watched her jog lightly towards him her feet bare, her curls bouncing behind her. Her heart did a somersault in her chest as his gaze caught hers, nerves clawing themselves at her insides.

"Yes?" Her eyes scanned his face, searching for anything that showed her that he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him. His eyes flicked down to her lips and he swallowed thickly. She found it.

"Can you keep a secret?"

He faltered a bit, blinking as he quickly recovered. "Of course."

"Good." She breathed before closing the distance between them, and pressing her lips to his.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Office: Chapter Three**

 **A/N: Here you are. Thank you so much for all of your responses so far. You have no idea how much it means to me and I look forward to hearing what else you guys have to say as the story moves forward. Love you guys so much!**

* * *

Klaus didn't have the capacity to question his good fortune. She tasted like honey, the sweetest richest honey. Her lips felt like velvet against his own. He kissed her, once, twice. Before pulling away slightly. Questioningly. His eyes searched hers, memorizing every facet, every blemish, the slope of her cheek, the tilt to her lips. Desire clouded her irises with a blue effervescent fire that held him captive, her chest heaving. She wanted him, she wanted him desperately.

That knowledge alone was like water to a man lost in the Sahara. And he was lost. He was lost in her with simply a kiss. Her hands slid lightly from gently holding his chin up along his cheeks as they looked at each other. Every molecule that her manicured hands touched hummed with electricity coming alive under her touch. His lips tugged up into a smile as they spoke with only their gazes, there was no turning back and he couldn't even if he had the inclination to try. He closed the distance between them his mouth taking hers in a drugging kiss. A breathy moan escaped her as she melted into him grabbing him harder as she pressed every inch of herself to him. His arms tightened around her waist, crushing her to him as his mouth slanted over hers. The kiss grew more and more intense with every moment, the need to be inside of her pulsing through him.

They stumbled their way from the elevator. Each loathe to break the searing contact of the kiss that was fueling the rapidly growing wildfire. She ripped his suit jacket down his arms and he fought his way out of it as he backed her towards her office. The momentary loss of her mouth was like an icy blow and he grappled for her desperately. In his haste he lost his footing, his abandoned jacket catching his foot and sending them stumbling towards the wall. He slammed against her, a shot going through him at the contact. For a moment he was concerned that he had hurt her but was instantly appeased as she giggled, her hands tracing down his chest. He found himself chuckling lightly as well. That was unexpected, Ms. Caroline Forbes liked it a little rough. His mind raced, an image of him tugging on her hair as her head bobbed up and down, her mouth wrapped tightly around his cock flashed through his mind and he groaned. He reached down hooking his hands around her lethally long legs and lifting her against the wall. She wrapped them around his waist, locking them together with her ankles and pressing his throbbing member against her heat.

The jacket lay forgotten on the floor as he regained his balance and carried her back towards her office. Their tongues tangling, their bodies straining to get as close to each other as possible with the barrier of clothes. His hand fumbled for the handle blindly Caroline's soft mewling cries egging him on. Finally he grasped the cool metal and launched it open. The door hit the wall behind it with a loud crash, the frosted glass shaking dangerously at the assault. He stumbled inside as Caroline disentangled herself from him and her frantic hands pulled at his button down yanking it out of his trousers.

With every moment the desperation increased. As her hands made the infuriatingly slow process of untucking his shirt, getting her out of her own clothes became as important as breathing. He wasted no time with being gentle. His hands fisted into the starch white of her proper shirt and wrenched it apart. Buttons flew across the room tinking off the wall, the crystal of the decanters, bouncing along the floor. He half expected her to be cross with him for that, but it didn't faze her. She ripped the fabric from her body and launched herself at him again.

Her skin, Fuck, her skin felt like the warmest silk. His hands moved over her, touching every inch of flesh that was exposed to him. He wanted to look at her, needed to look at her, needed to unwrap her beautiful body from the constraints of her professional attire and devour every inch of her being. He made a small motion to move away and she moaned in protest, her arms clasping around his neck, her back arching into him. His mind checked in for a moment with the thought of protesting, to tell her that there was no rush and that he had no intention of going anywhere until they both couldn't move from exhaustion, but her teeth tugged on his lower lip and all thoughts vanished. He melted back into her and once she was certain that he was soundly occupied her arms left his neck to resume her work on his shirt. With an impatient tug the tails came free and her small hands found their way under his shirt onto his abdomen. The sharp stab of pleasure was so intense it was almost painful. His head whirled as if in an eddy. He bent down again scooping her up and plopping her onto her massive desk. Her thighs spread open for him and he seated himself right between them, directly against her. She continued to fumble hastily with the buttons of his shirt which refused to cooperate. Finally, what felt like an eternity later the fabric parted and he shrugged roughly out of it taking no notice to where it landed on the floor. Her hands made quick work of his belt next, he grew harder as she whipped open the front button of his trousers.

A thought, unwanted, uninvited, festered its way into his mind. He stalled, his eyes opening, his mind hazy. He pulled away slightly.

"Caroline?" His voice was husky, almost unrecognizable. Her only response was an agonizing moan that was sure to haunt him for the rest of his life. Her mouth met his in a scorching kiss. "Sweetheart." Another moan, another thought-robbing kiss. "Love…" She moved then, her perfect mouth kissing her way across his cheek till her teeth were tugging on his earlobe. A strangled moan escaped him at the pleasure. A string of unintelligible curse words and encouragement raced through his mind. _Fuck. Yes Sweetheart. That feels bloody amazing. Fuck. Don't stop._ Followed with the memory that they had to stop, only if for a moment. "Caroline love, I don't have any condoms."

As if pulled form a trace she stalled, her eyes meeting his. She didn't say a word, simply moved turning over and reaching over her desk, fumbling with one of the drawers. Her perfectly shaped ass clad in that sinfully tight skirt was too much to resist, he yanked the skirt up causing her body to jostle as his mouth kissed and bit at the skin he managed to expose. She whimpered as his tongue skimmed a trail up the back of her thigh. Finally she twisted back around, purse in hand. She fumbled for a moment before producing a foil packet that may as well had been the golden ticket.

Relief and anticipation waved over him. Having to stop himself now would have been torture. He would have sprinted to the fucking store for a pack of johnnies if he had to. Caroline tossed the bag behind her; it clattered as it hit the ground.

His mouth captured hers again as he tugged her to her feet and led her to the short side of her desk. He yanked her skirt up around her waist and she reached behind her to unclasp her bra. It fell between them and he caught the first sight of her breasts.

Perfect, she was fucking perfect, the thought growled through him. She propped herself against the edge of the desk before leaning herself back onto the top. There she laid nearly bared for him, open, wanting. She was so unbelievably sexy. His hands skimmed across her stomach.

Her ex was absolutely fucking barmy. How could you see her like this? To have her laid out before him like a feast and ever want another? He would do absolutely despicable things to remain in her favor. Speaking of which, he should most definitely get started.

Tracing light lines he watched her shiver letting his hand halt at the underside of her breasts. Her petal pink nipples were puckered into tiny buds. His mouth watered at the sight of them, anticipation roared as he pictured pinching them between his teeth. His hands slowly cupped one straining peak. Massaging. Memorizing. His head dipped down, his eyes meeting hers as he flicked his tongue up her abdomen with lavish licks.

"Sweetheart, you have the loveliest breasts I've ever seen." Her hands threaded in his hair, pulling his head down until his breath dusted along the peaked tip.

"Taste me." She murmured. Her voice mirrored his own, husky, breathy, laced with the evidence of her arousal. He swelled, he wasn't sure that it was physically possible for him to get any harder, he was wrong.

With a wicked flick his tongue laved a freckle straying dangerously close to her straining nipples. Finally when her body began to arch wildly beneath him his tongue flicked over the bud. A strangled cry escaped her as she bucked.

"Like this." He repeated the wicked move.

She whimpered. "Please." Her hands grappling for him.

"Please what?" Her hips jerked up grinding the lace of her panties against his straining erection. A curse tumbled from his lips at the sensation. "Tell me sweetheart and I'll give you what you want."

His eyes met hers with teasing intensity.

With no trace of embarrassment she answered "Suck", and his mouth swooped down sucking her nipple between his lips. "Oh god yes." She groaned, her head falling back and fanning her hair magnificently against the dark wood of her desk. Caroline was lost in pleasure, and his eyes fixed rapt on her face as he licked, sucked and nibbled her; his hand rolling the other perfect tip between his thumb and forefinger. He switched to the other breast, lavishing equal attention upon it. The look of unrestrained bliss was addicting, he couldn't imagine how lovely she'd look when she finally came. A savage eagerness roared to life within him.

She continued to trash beneath him, her fingers knotting tightly in his hair tugging at his curls and sending shells of pleasure coursing through him. When she couldn't take anymore she pushed herself up, making her nipple pull from his lips with a loud pop. Her mouth met his as her hands found their way back to the front of his trousers. She pulled the zipper down followed by his pants. For a torturous moment he stood before her naked, until finally she reached forward wrapping her hands around his throbbing knob and pumping him. A violent hiss escaped him at the contact, reveling in the warmth of her skin pumping over his hard flesh.

"Are you going to fuck me?"

The filthy inquisition set him on fire, she wasn't afraid to ask for what she wanted. Something about the perfect, proper Ms. Forbes, asking to be properly fucked made him harder than a diamond in an icestorm.

"Oh love, I'm going to make you scream."

"Bit cocky don't you think?" She supplied, such a cheeky teasing question.

He'd take that as a challenge.

"You have no idea." He pulled her to stand, turning her around and placing her hands flat in front of her on the desk. His fingertip lightly traced a path from one shoulder to the other pushing her hair out of the way and exposing the beautifully sculpted slope of her back. His fingers itched to paint her, every line of her beautiful body. His mouth kissed across her skin, down her spine, he knelt behind her.

Slowly. Torturously slowly he hooked his fingers in the edge of her knickers and tugged them down. She mewled as the elastic snapped lightly against the generous curve of her arse. She honestly had the sexiest backside he'd ever seen. His mouth nipped at the flesh of her bottom as he slid the garment down her legs and off. He tossed them to the side.

He started at her ankles, his thumbs pressing lightly in her instep and sliding up to her inner calf. She moved immediately, widening her stance as his hands traveled higher with calculated slowness. Just above the knee he stopped, moving his head down to kiss the backs of her thighs, her legs quivered. Impatiently she pushed back against him. He grinned as his hands traveled up another few inches his mouth moving closer to where he knew she desperately wanted him. He inhaled deeply, she smelled like honeysuckle and vanilla. The two scents would probably end up getting him hard after this.

He sat back a little, his hands tracing lines down the outsides of her thighs. The sight of her perfectly trimmed cunt made him groan, she was gloriously wet and his hands itched to bury themselves inside of her; To get any piece of himself inside of her that he could.

Desperation consumed him at the thought of her juices dancing on his tongue and he knew he had to taste her. His hands cupped her ass firmly spreading her apart as he buried his face in her dripping folds. A sob escaped her as her chest fell to the desktop, offering him easier access to her center. He tongued her. God he could spend forever between her legs, even her pussy tasted sweet.

She made no effort to hide her enjoyment, her cries coming out with breathy moans or, when he sucked her clit into his mouth a load obscenity.

He had never been so aroused by going down on someone before; it had always been a means to an end. A tit for tat. This experience would make him glad to bury his face between her thighs for hours without a thought to himself.

His dick throbbed, he couldn't wait much longer.

With one last smacking kiss he stood, reaching over her to the foil packet on the desk. He ripped it open pinching the tip and rolling it down his rock hard length. She pushed herself back up onto her hands, watching him over his shoulder. She looked elicit, like his every fantasy put together and come to life. Hair mussed, mascara smudged, her skirt bunched around her waist, her pretty breasts and pussy naked for his eyes only.

His hand lifted her knee lightly, placing it on the desk and opening her wide for him. He notched himself at her entrance, her weeping folds parting for him. He gritted his teeth at the exquisiteness of the feeling.

His hand caressed her raised thigh before, with a single thrust he slid into her to the hilt. He shuddered at the feeling of her cunt spasming around him, he stopped himself, holding himself still inside of her. This was going to be harder than he'd thought; he fought for control of his arousal taking a deep breath as he slid out of her slowly. Fuck she was tight. Her sheath milking him. Heavy pants, both his and hers, echoed around the room. It took a moment for him to realize that she was speaking.

"Oh god." He pushed back in inch by inch, she tilted her hips allowing him to sink even deeper. She cried out at the new feeling. "Oh god, that feels so good." She pulsed around him.

He increased the tempo gradually, pulling almost all the way free from her before plunging in again. His mouth found the shell of her ear. "Words cannot describe how fucking perfect you feel." She pressed back as he gave another lazy thrust, his hands wandered around her.

"You're so tight Caroline." God he loved saying her name. He'd say it a 100 times, a 1000 times. He cupped her breast, kneading it roughly. "When was the last time someone fucked you till you were completely satisfied?"

She moaned. "Too long."

He thrust into her, harder this time. "It's about time that changed."

"Sounds like…" She broke her sentence with a moan as he thrust again. "…a lot of talk to me." He grinned inbetween placing lavish kisses upon her neck.

"Are you going to scream for me Caroline?"

She pushed back against him hard causing him to hiss. "No."

He anchored his hands onto her hips as he picked up a steady rhythm of his thrusts. Her breasts bounced at the impact. Their moans and groans meshing together, he increased his pace his hips smacking into the perfect curve of her arse. The tightly reigned leash on his control was started to unravel catapulting him towards his orgasm, but he would be damned if he was going to come before she did. Her cries grew louder, more feverish.

"Oh god. Harder." He didn't have to be told twice, he thrust hard and she wailed. Too close, he was too close, he released his hold on her right hip and reached around her. With deft fingers he stroked through her soaking lips hiding the tiny bundle of nerves and massaged it as he rode her.

His voice was strangled as he spoke. "Come for me sweetheart. I want to feel you come." But the words served their purpose. Within seconds of the strangled command being voiced she convulsed around him, her inner muscles clenching as she shattered. Indecipherable noises escaped her as she came, he felt every glorious tightening as she squeezed him. He thrust once, twice, before he followed her with a broken shout of her name.

He flattened her against him as they both rode out their climax. Dazed by the power, grasping his sanity as it slowly seeped back up. Caroline's heavy breathing mixed with his own. He pulled out of her letting his forehead rest against the damp skin of her shoulder trying to gather his wits. His legs felt weak as he turned her around to face him. Caroline's eyes were heavy, her face satiated. Primal satisfaction coursed through him as her doe eyes blinked up at him, hair mussed, mind still scattered. Christ, he had just experienced the most mind blowing sex of his existence, with his boss. She yawned tiredly, the exhaustion from their activities and the increasingly late hour. He moved a step away from her as he disposed of the condom. With it safely deposited in the rubbish bin he went about spreading out their clothes to make a makeshift bed on the floor. He moved down, extending his hand and feeling a shock arch through him as she took it without hesitation and nestled herself against him. Still? His heart was beating a tattoo inside of his chest, she buried her face against it and he was certain she could feel it hammering against her cheek. She murmured something sleepily but Klaus couldn't make out what it was.

The dark night was quickly turning grey with the stark reality of sunrise. He held her tighter.

Tomorrow meant real life. Tomorrow meant consequences.

Tomorrow meant it was over.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Office: Chapter Four**

 **A/N: In the spirit of AU week, here's a new chapter! I don't have time to write a drabble today, so hopefully this will do! Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews I've gotten so far! I keep my eyes on everyone for early chapter updates! You guys are just that great! Thank you again.**

Caroline wasn't sure how long she dozed, her body succumbing to sleep within seconds of cuddling up to Klau's lithe frame. When she awoke, light was already filtering in from her window. Klaus's hand stroked through the rats nest that was probably her hair right now and skimming along the length of her spine. She didn't move, her body was lax and replete. Seriously, she could lie on this floor draped across a naked Klaus Mikaelson for the next 24 hours and be totally okay with it.

A bird began to chirp merrily from somewhere in the distance as he moved his other arm to caress her bare shoulder, the calluses of his hand rasping deliciously against her skin.

She let her eyes flutter closed, content in simply laying there against this incredibly gifted man. Memories of what they had just done washed over her and she felt her inner walls squeeze, reminding her of exactly how incredible it felt when he was buried deep inside of her. "Caroline", he said softly, his thumb trailing lighting over the sensitive skin of her arm. "Sweetheart, you need to wake up."

"Do I really have to?" she murmured, burying her face farther into the crook of his neck. A chuckle escaped him and she could feel it vibrate through her entire body.

"Come now love, up you go." One cornflower blue iris cracked opened through the thick fringe of her eyelashes. She moaned her objection rolling tighter against him. He clutched her instinctively closer, she found that she rather liked the feeling of his arms wrapped around her. "If we don't get up we're going to give the cleaning crew quite the eyeful."

"Mmmmm…. What time is it?" Her voice scraped in a husky murmur. She opened her other eye looking at his dimpled smile and his mussed curls. Even without any sleep and after fucking her brains out he looked like the devil himself.

"I'm not certain, the sun is almost up." He mumbled.

She moved to sit up, pushing fistfuls of her hair out of her face as she went. Her arms stretched over her head her muscles pulling with the most delectable soreness. The sun's ascending rays illuminating the room with a golden glow. If she didn't know any better, she'd think she'd just gotten a solid ten hours of sleep. A grin broke across her face as his arms encircled her waist, tugging her backward. She let her body sink, leaning against the warm flesh of Klaus's chest. His chest hair scratched against her skin and she could feel the hair of her arm rise and her nipples to pucker in awareness.

"Any idea where you tossed my panties?" She didn't even have to see his face to know a devilish smile was broken across it.

"No idea." He hummed against her skin.

She pulled out a shirt from beneath her bent legs recognizing it as his and handing it to him. He tucked his arms into the shirt, the front wrinkled beyond salvation.

The simultaneously moved to their feet, Caroline grabbing her skirt while he tugged on first his boxers then his slacks. She watched him shamelessly as he left his shirt untucked and his nimble fingers began to fasten the black buttons. She was thankful he saved his shirt for last, it was truly a pity he had to cover up his chest. Klaus's chest and arms were toned, but not in the waxed airbrushed way Tyler's had been. It gave a mysterious hint to either 'yeah I work out a bit' or 'Nope, I was born like this'. She shrugged into her shirt watching as little by little the mouthwatering span of his flesh disappeared. She pulled the folds together her fingers tracing blindly for her buttons. After running her hands along the seam twice she tore her gaze from the man before her's body to her shirt. Where one button had been a single thread hung sadly, "You ripped it!"

He had been so desperate to get to her he had ripped her shirt apart. If she knew where her panties were at the moment, they'd be wet.

His answering smile was blinding before it tucked into a satisfied smirk. "If you're looking for an apology love I'm afraid you'll be sadly disappointed."

She scoffed crossing her arms over her chest in mock exasperation while attempting to cover the gaping fabric. "I liked that shirt!"

He remained silent his enjoyment at her plight evident.

The quiet stretched on between them. As one minute ticked off into the next she became more and more aware of the fact that she really didn't want him to go. Then again the glaring consequences of what they had just done were staring her directly in the face. This wasn't something that she wanted to get around the office, but Klaus didn't seem the type of guy to kiss and tell, or at least she hoped not.

"I hope… I mean…" She gauged his body language, the myriad of emotions flitting across her face. He knew what she was asking of him without saying a single syllable.

"I have no intention of telling anyone about what transpired between us." Her shoulders sagged in relief. What did she do now? Caroline was no saint, but she wasn't exactly in the habit of having random one night stands either. Was that it? Was that everything? "I assure you everything that occurred inside of this office will remain here." He reached behind him from the door.

"Thank you." He stalled at her words, his eyes delving into hers. "For…everything." She continued her eyes twitched up with the last word, emphasizing her message.

"Believe me sweetheart, the pleasure was all mine." It was the second time he spoke those words tonight, the last time had been polite and accommodating. This time his words were laced with innuendo and the intimate knowledge of every part of her.

"I meant the talk." She said chidingly.

"I know." The look on his face made her want to rip his shirt over his head and do it all over again. It was cocky, satisfied, and damn him if he didn't have every reason to be.

With an appraising look from the tips of her bare feet roving over the exposed lace of her bra, to her face that probably looked like a passing train wreck he grasped the door behind him. Even in the mist of everything that had happened he still looked composed and put together. There was going to be no doubt in anyone's mind however, exactly what Caroline had just done. At least she was pretty certain that her walk out of the building was going to have a new found hitch in her step rather than being shadowed with shame. He pulled the door open, "Good night Klaus."

He stilled only a moment. His tongue caressed the words like he was performing a sonnet. "Good morning Caroline."

He let the door fall shut behind him, she stood blinking, cemented to the floor where she was.

She didn't know how long she stood in the same spot staring at the place where he had disappeared. _Good morning Caroline._ Nothing had ever sounded as tantalizing as those three words coming from his mouth. She'd like to lick that voice. Better yet she'd like to have that voice lick her. Again.

But she couldn't. They both knew that it was a one-time thing. There wouldn't be any other adventures like tonight. The thought was unexpectedly disappointing, she hadn't had an orgasm like that in…. her mind wandered back far enough that she started to embarrass herself. Needless to say it had been awhile.

What a shame he had to be her advertising director, the man had a gift.

Some lucky woman was going to hit the jackpot. She turned to search for her missing underwear, the last thing she needed was Katherine finding them on Monday morning.

Speaking of Katherine.

Did Caroline have a story for her.

* * *

"I'm sorry what did you just say?" Katherine's face was contorted in horror as she stared across the tiny table at her. Music pulsed around them, the vibrant streaking paths of colored lights making the room flash between light and dark. It was a common haunt for Kat, not so much so for Caroline, though she liked cutting loose and dancing, the grinding and sweating of bodies she wouldn't mind avoiding. Partying was messy, and she was particularly keen to avoid landing herself in a mess tonight. "Because it sounded like you just told me you fucked Klaus Mikaelson last night. But that can't be right, because that would be absolutely insane."

Caroline smirked. She honest to god smirked.

"When did you become such a prude?" She mocked picking up her whiskey buck and pressing the straw between her teeth.

"When did you stop? What are you turning into me now? "

Caroline chuckled leaning forward and clinking her glass back onto the table. "Not today, I'd have to shrink four inches to do that."

"Fuck you." Kat admonished with a playful eye roll.

"Hey, don't get short with me." Caroline teased, the brunette looked like she was about to come out of her chair. A beat of silence passed between them.

"Ok, you seriously don't think we are leaving it there do you? You can't just drop something like that without giving me Every. Single. Detail." Her hand prodded the air harshly at the last word punctuating them with a commanding flourish. Caroline pretended to consider it for a second.

"What do you want to know?"

"First of how the hell did you go from, 'I have so much work to do' to fucking the advertising guy?"

That was a very good question. "I don't know…it kind of just happened."

Kat fixed her with a no nonsense stare. "Parking tickets kind of just happen. The flu kind of just happens. Sex with a stranger, does not." A picture of Klaus cropped up in her mind. Of lying with her back pressed to her desk as he stood between her legs, chest bare. The heat of his gaze had been so tangible in that moment, he devoured her with elicit promises before reaching out his hand and doing it all over again. Heat washed over her as one memory bled into another, how good he felt inside of her, how fast he made her come, how insanely intense that orgasm had been. "Start with why the hell he was there in the first place?"

Ah, that. "Remember how I was missing the Annaheuser-Busch campaign yesterday?" Kat nodded giving her a 'of-course-I-remember-it-was-yesterday look'. "Well, I was finishing up with everything I had to get done and I was feeling sort of-a little sorry for myself, and who should waltz in at ten o'clock at night campaign in hand?"

"Nice touch. He puts it on your desk, who's to say he was only ten minutes late instead of ten hours."

"You could tell that was the plan, the look on his face when he saw me was priceless. I thought he was going to have a heart attack. So, he goes to leave and I just start blurting out random nonsense, and instead of running as fast as he can away from me we end up sitting there having a drink."

A wicked expression morphed on Katherine's face as she crosses her arms over her chest. "I take it more than one."

"I mean it was probably one bottle. That counts as one." Caroline said with a shrug, her hand coming up to grasp the florescent pink straw between her thumb and forefinger and stirring it lazily. "I guess we lost track of time because suddenly it's four am and we are still talking. He goes to leave, and he looks at me and he says my name with that accent and I just…lost it." Lost it probably wasn't the right term, because it definitely felt like a win.

"I don't get the whole British accent thing; it's never appealed to me."

"I think you're alone on that one." Accents had always been one of her turn ons, especially British. She'd watched Pride and Prejudice more times than she could count and was no stranger to David Tenant either. There was something about that accent that went straight through her and curled her toes; it could make even the not so visually gifted gentleman more appealing. Not that Klaus needed any help in that area, with the face, the body, the freaking accent he probably needed a bodyguard to keep all of the women off of him. Herself included. "Next thing I know I'm getting bent over my desk by Mikaelson."

"Good?" Kat asked with a twitch of her eyebrow.

The words poured from her in an agonized moan. "Soooooo Gooood." Good didn't even begin to describe the sex between them. Phenomenal. Mind Blowing. Organ's playing a symphony of hallelujah.

"Thank god. I was starting to get worried about you for a while back there. With the Tyler-no-orgasm thing I thought you might actually have a mental break." A huge smile broke out across Caroline's face as she took in her friend's proud expression.

"That is definitely no longer the case."

"Not to rain on your orgasm parade, because I'm honestly thrilled you finally got nailed by someone who knows how to do the job but how are you going to handle this with work?"

And there it was. The question she'd been volleying back and forth in her head for the hours that had passed since he walked out of her office this morning. "I'm not really sure. It was a one-time thing, we'll probably just put it behind us." The thought was depressing in itself, it hadn't even been 24 hours and she could already use another O like that.

"I hope you're right. It's a dangerous position to be in. Be smart. There's a ton of people out there rooting for you to fail and something like this could be the catalyst." There she was, her fun loving instigating bombshell who was currently tossing the anchor overboard to bring Caroline back to earth. Katherine was right, she was always right about these things. Female CEO's in the corporate world were rare, and even rarer still was getting taken seriously at her position because of her gender. There was a line of people who would love to see Caroline Forbes fall from her father's office, but that wasn't going to happen. Not over her dead body.

"It's not really different than what happened with Tyler."

"Except it is. That tool bag works for the company that we hired to handle our legal needs. He doesn't work for you. Mikaelson is your employee."

"It was a one night stand. We said goodbye, agreed that we wouldn't talk about it, and then went on our way. I don't think he's that kind of guy to make a deal of it. We both enjoyed ourselves, now it's done." The words came out with a biting passion, harsher than she had anticipated. Kat was staring at her with a look that screamed she knew more than she let on.

"And you're okay with that?"

"I'm not looking for a boyfriend okay? I don't have time for one and honestly after the whole Tyler thing I don't think I'm going to want one for a long time." She deserved to be single, to go out and have fun and not worry about not spending enough time with someone. Her career was her life and honestly, that was enough.

Katherine threw up her hands in defeat, giving a little headshake. "Fair enough."

A waitress materialized on their left with two drinks pulling their attention away from Caroline's heated office rendezvous. "Compliments of the gentleman at the bar." The petite cocktail waitress said nodding her head. Both Caroline and Katherine turned to follow her gaze and perused a very attractive man raising their glass to them as if to say, 'you're welcome'. Smug, he was very smug and she'd never even heard him speak.

"Dibs." Katherine said as she tucked her lips into a seductive pout and gave him a saucy wave. The man caught her smile and grinned in kind exchanging messages that needed no words. Caroline finished up the rest of her drink before pushing it to the side and bringing the full one to her lips.

"He's all yours".


End file.
